Hunters Across Two Dozen States Warned Of 'Zombie Deer Disease'

An infectious diseases expert warned Minnesota hunters this week chronic wasting disease is killing deer across the Midwest and has been reported in at least 24 states while posing a risk of infections to humans in the future, according to The Weather Channel.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said chronic wasting disease (CWD) should be treated as a public health issue.

"It is probable that human cases of CWD associated with the consumption of contaminated meat will be documented in the years ahead," Osterholm said. "It is possible that the number of human cases will be substantial and will not be isolated events.”

Osterholm was speaking at a hearing at the Minnesota Capitol as legislators introduced a bill to address the growing issues associated with CWD.

CWD was first observed in the 1960s at a research facility in Colorado and is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy disease in deer, elk, moose and reindeer/caribou.

The CDC said the symptoms include sudden weight loss, stumbling, a lack of coordination, drooling, a lack of fear of people, and aggression - which is likely why it's often called the "zombie" disease.

The disease is always fatal.

The source of the disease is an abnormal form of protein that collects the animal's brain cells which eventually burst, leaving empty spaces that often resemble a sponge.

Emily Wood, executive director of the Indiana Wildlife Federation said the disease has no cure or preventative measures available at this time.

It's believed CWD spreads through saliva, urine, or feces from living deer or through contact with high-risk parts such as the backbone, eyes, or spleen of a harvested deer.

Wood said the disease spreads quicker when humans move the deer, which often occurs within captive hunting operations that transport deer between states.

Despite the possible symptoms of the disease, it can take years for some symptoms to physically show and be nearly impossible for hunters to determine if the deer is infected.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention said there have been no reported cases of CWD in people so far, but previous animal studies have shown there is some risk of primates becoming infected if they come into contact with blood or brains of an infected animal.

"These studies raise concerns that there may also be a risk to people," said the CDC.

The CDC said hunters should wear rubber gloves when butchering deer, minimize handling brain and spinal tissue, and wash their hands thoroughly after handling a deer carcass.

The Department of Natural Resources also said hunters should avoid eating the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes.

-WN.com, Maureen Foody